Garden tool



July 2, 1929. ADAMS 1,718,939

GARDEN TOOL Filed April 28, 1928 Patented July 2, 1929.

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. M 1,718,939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed April 28, 1928. Serial No. 273,657.

My invention relates to a garden tool, and ting blade or knife-11 havinpreferably a more especially to a tool for laying out and curved cuttingedge 12 a d 1 which cutting the edges of flower beds, driveways, .issecured by means of cylindrical stem 14 to ,Bpc, Q handle 15, stem 14being bifurcated at its The usual method of laying out flower beds,lower end and the shank 13 being received bedriveways and the like is tostake out the tween the bifurcatedparts, while rivets 16 flower bed ordriveway and to use a spade, and 17 pass through the stem 1% and shankaxe, or similar tool, for cutting the turf to 13 to secure these partsrigidly and permaform the edges thereof. While this method nentltogether. Stem 14 extends into and is to a certain extent successful,where the is big tly received in handle 15, handle beedges ofthe flowerbed or driveway are. ing provided with a ferrule 18 on its lowerstraight, it cannot be used where curves are end while rivet 19 passesthrough ferrule 18, desired, and accordingly it is the general handle 15and stem is to secure the handle practice to lay out curves byscratching lines rigidly to stem i l,

in the turf and then cutting away the turf At the lower end of stem 14,and where the up to the lines. In either case, it is imposknife bladejoins the shank 13, is a guard 20 sible to secure smooth edges, themethods having an opening in which the knife ll pursued being apt toproduce rough, ragged closely fits, guard 20 having an upwardly edges,and where curves are desired, the edges curved forward part 21, for apurpose to be are quite apt not only to be rough but quite hereinafterpointed out, while the remainder often very 1rregular, I of the mainbody of the guard is substantially One of the objectsof the presentinvention flat and horizontal, as shown in the drawings.

"is to provide a tool for laying out and cutting Guard 20 is secured tothe knife ll by means turf to form flower beds and the like, wherein ofbrackets 22 and 23, secured to guard 20 on the rough, irregular edgesproduced by prior either side of stem it by rivets 24, while one toolsand methods are avoided. or more rivets pass through brackets 22 Anotherobject of the invention is to pro and 23 and stem let to secure theguard in vide a tool whereby a driveway, flower bed, position on theblade ll. or the like, may be laid out and cut in a single in operation,the blade ll of tool it] may operation. be thrust into the ground untilthe guard 20 Still another object of the invention is to rests on thesurface thereof, the operator produce a tool whereby straightlines orgrasping the handle 15 and forcing the tool curves of an unlimitednumber of radiuses through the ground along a desired line to and formsma be accurately laid out and cut. out the edge of a driveway or aflower bed A still furt or object of the invention is to or the like,The ard 2O ensures that the provide a tool having the above charactercutwill be of a uniform depth, while the istics, which, while capable ofaccurate work, curved forward part 21 is of a great assistance is sim lein form and may thus be cheaply in guiding the tool over a roughsurface. manu actured. 4 In order to cut smooth regular curves and Tothese and other ends, the invention conlines, which is a feature of thepresent invensists in the novel features and combination tion, l haveprovided a simple but edective till of parts to be hereinafter describedand means which I will now describe. The stem claimed,

in the drawin s,

Fig. 1 is an e evational view-of a garden tool, according to myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing a book used in connection with thetool; and

Figs. 3 and d are diagrams showing the tool in operation in cuttingflower beds. 7

Referring now to the drawings in which l 14 between the shank l3 andhandle 15 is provided with a cylindrical part 26 on which is somewhatloosely received a guiding element or swivel 27, which is preferablymade out of a strip of metal doubled over at 28 to provide two arms 29and 30, between which a pulley 31 is mounted on rivet 82, the lower armbeing upwardly directed at 33 to substantially the center line of theguide 27 and thence along the central line, being provided haveillustrated my invention by showing a at its outer end with a suitableopening in preferred embodiment of the same, the referwhich thecylindrical part 26 of stem 14 is once numeral 10 indicates, in general,my irnreceived. A. number of stakes 3d are proproved garden tool whichcomprises a cutvided, two being all that are usually necesltlll Hill 'plant a number of s sary, which may be inserted into the ground inappropriate situations, to be more fully pointed out hereinafter. A rope35 1s provided having secured to the ends thereof hooks 36. I

The operation ofthe tool may be more readily understood by reference toFigs. 3 and 4, in which two shapes of gardens are indicated, although itwill be readily understood that the number and variety of shapes vthatmay be laid out and cut by the tool are unlimited. In Fig. 3, the toolis being used to lay out and cut an elliptical bed, and herein twostakes 34 are driven into the ground at a suitable distance apart, whilethe cord or rope 35 is stretched between the stakes. The tool 10 isbrought into engagement with and guided by the-rope 35 by the latterbeing inserted through the opening between the arms 29 and 30 on theside adjacent stem 14 until the rope/,35-comes into contact with thepulley, in which osition the tool ma be readily moved alon t e rope andguided y the same. If the rope is stretched tight, as indicated b dottedlines of Fi 3, it is evident that the tool will be guide along astraight line parallel the rope, but if the rope is loosened to anextent, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3l\it is evident a curve willbe out, which as indiated in this particular instance, will be in t eform of an ellipse.

, In Fig. 4, a different type of bed is shown in which, for exam 1e, itmay be desired to hrubs. Herein stakes are driven at the centers of thethree curves and the hook 36 inserted into the guide 27- and broughtinto engagement with'the doubled over portion 28. The cord may be tieturn to each of the stakes to hold the too E e proper distancestherefrom, whereupon! tool may be moved around the stakes tut/ thead'acent arcuate portions of the flower bed. e curves may be joined bystraight lines, after the ma ler indicated in dotted lines in Fi 3, itbeing possible by proper use of the sta es and cord to cut curves andstraight lines in conjunction with one another.

It will be readily understood from the above description of myinvention, that I have provided a tool which is relatively simple inform, but which may be used to simultaneously lay out and out variousforms andarrangements of ardens and driveways.

While I have s own and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,it is to be understood that the same is not to be limited to 'all thedetails shown but is capable of modification and variation within thespirit of the invention andthe scope of the appelxmided claims.

e at I'claim' is:

1. In a garden tool, a cutting blade provided with a shank, a bifurcatedstem in which said shank is received and secured, 9.

handle secured on said stem, a guard on said blade, said guard comprisina substantially fiat late having an upwar ly directed forward part,brackets secured on either side of said stem and to the upper face ofsaid guard, and a guiding element for said blade, said element beingmade out of a single strip of material doubled on itself to form twoarms,

and a pulley mounted between said arms, one

of said arms being longer than the other and being pivotally mounted onthe stem between the shank and handle.

' 2. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a stem for said blade, a handlemounted on said stem, a guard on said blade, said guard including asubstantially flat plate having an upwardly directed forward part,brackets secured on either side of said stem and to said guard, and aguiding element for said blade, said element bein made out of a singlestrip of material dou led on itself to form two arms, and a pulleymounted betwen said arms, one of said arms being longer than the otherand y being pivotally mounted on the stem between the shank and handle.

3. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a handle for said blade and meansfor guiding said blade along a redetermined path, said means including aexible element in engagement with a part mounted on theblade, and meanssecured to the flexible element adapted to be inserted into the ground.

I 4. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a bandle for the same, a guardfor limiting the distance said blade may be inserted into the ground,and uiding means for said tool, said means inclu ing 9. art in which arope may be slidably received? y 5. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, abandle for the same, a guard for limiting the distance said blade may beinserted into the ground, and guiding means for said tool, said meansincluding a part in which a rope may be slidably received, said partbeing pivotally mounted on the tool.

6. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a handle for the same, a guard forlimiting the distance the blade ma be inserted into the ground, saidguard ing substantially flat throughout the greater part of its lengthbut being provided with an upwardly directed forward end, and guidingmeans for said tool.

7 In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a handle/for the same, a guard forlimiting the distance the blade may be inserted into the ground, saidguard being substantial] flat throughout the greater part of its lengthbut being provided with an upwardly directed forward end, and means forguiding said blade in movements in curved paths.

8. In a garden tool, a cutting blade, a handle for the same, a guard forlimiting the distance the blade may be inserted into the ground, saidguard being substantial] flat throughout the greater part of its lengtlibut ground, said guard lll being provided with an upwardly directedlorward end, and guiding means for said tool, said guidin meansincluding an arm extending outwardly from said tool, and a pulley onsaid arm.

v 9. la a garden tool, a cutting blade, a bandle for the same, a guardfor limiting the distance the blade ma be inserted into the beingsubstantiall flat throughout the greater part of its lengt but beingprovided with an upwardly directed forward end, guiding means'for saidtool, said guiding means including an arm extending outwardly from saidtool, said arm being pivotally supported on the tool, and a pulley onthe outer end of the arm.

10. In a garden tool, a cutting blade provided with a stem, a handlemounted on said stem and a guiding element for said blade, said elementbeing made out of a single strip of material doubled on itself to formtwo arms, and a pulley mounted between said arms, one of said arms beinglonger than the other, and being pivotally mounted on the stem betweenthe blade and handle.

11. In agarden tool, a euttin blade, astem for said blade, a handlesecure to said stem, a guard mounted on said blade, said guard includinga substantially horizontal part having an upwardly directed forward end,and a guiding element for said blade, said guiding element being madeout of a single strip of material doubled on itself to formv two arms,and a pulley mounted between said arms, one of said arms being longerthan the other and being pivotally mounted on the stem between the bladeand handle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of April.1928.

BERNARD D. ADAMS.

